Optical lenses, such as ophthalmic lenses, often have one or more coatings applied thereto for purposes of modifying the properties of the lens, such as tinting properties. For example, coating compositions containing static dyes and/or photochromic dyes or compounds can be applied to a surface of a lens for purposes of modifying the tinting properties of the lens. Static dyes typically have a fixed color and do not change color in response to exposure to actinic radiation, such as sunlight. Photochromic dyes or compounds typically change color, such as reversibly between a bleached (or non-colored) state to a colored state with exposure to actinic radiation. Coatings can be applied to the forward and/or rear surfaces of a lens. In some instances, one or more coatings are applied to the rear surface of a lens for reasons, such as, protecting the coating from damage it may incur on the forward surface of the lens, and/or minimizing defects that may be imparted to the coating when applied to the forward surface thereof.
The forward surface of some lenses includes one or more features that may result in undesirable defects being imparted into a coating applied there-over. Such features include, for example, an incompatible surface tension, which can result in improper wetting of the forward surface by an applied coating composition, or one or more physical structures on the forward surface. For individuals with presbyopia, for example, ophthalmic lenses can be designed and fabricated to include more than one lens power within each lens, and are typically referred to as multifocal lenses. In some instances, the multifocal lens is a segmented multifocal lens in which the forward surface thereof includes at least one segmented optical power addition portion that extends outward relative to the front surface of the lens. Applying a coating to the front surface of such a lens results, in some instances, in the formation of defects due to a lack of uniform coating thickness associated with the optical power addition portion. In the case of a photochromic coating, such a lack of uniform coating thickness can result in the undesirable formation of line defects including, for example, darker lines and/or lighter lines, when the coated optical lens is exposed to actinic radiation. Ophthalmic articles with such coating defects typically do not meet minimal required cosmetic standards.
It would be desirable to develop new methods of coating lenses, such as ophthalmic lenses. It would also be desirable to develop new articles that can provide support for a lens while one or more coatings are applied thereto.